Growing Sweet Potato, also Kumara

Ipomoea batatas : Convolvulaceae / the morning glory family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions

  • Plant shoots or cuttings (Slips). Best planted at soil temperatures between 17°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 40 - 60 cm apart
  • Harvest in 15-17 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best in Separate bed

Your comments and tips

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02 Jul 23, (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Sweet potatoes are not planted as whole tubers like regular potatoes. Instead, they are grown from sweet potato slips, which are sprouts taken from mature sweet potatoes. Just twist off the slips, root them in water, and then plant them to grow sweet potatoes
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20 May 23, Mireya (USA - Zone 7a climate)
What kind/type of sweet potato can I grow in Northern Virginia (zone 7A)?
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01 Jun 23, (USA - Zone 3b climate)
Probably any type.
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31 May 23, JJ Penza (USA - Zone 7b climate)
I am on the Va/NC line zone 7B.I have had success growing Beauregards, Okinawas, and Covingtons, The best producers at my place were in that order.
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02 May 23, Carolyn (USA - Zone 8a climate)
A friend of mine gave me some sweet potato plants rooted and planted in soil before last winter. She told me to keep them and water occasionally and plant in April/May in North Texas. These little plants are about 6" high with multiple shoots from a center stalk. Do I plant the whole plant in a pot or cut off the shoots and plant? Confused? Thank you.
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08 May 23, (Australia - temperate climate)
You can do both. More plants if you break it up into a few.
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14 Jan 23, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Has anyone planted Kumara in a Vegepod?
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23 Jan 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Why would you - they need a lot of soil around them.
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02 Jan 23, Allen (USA - Zone 7b climate)
Hi; I know what a sweet potato slip is but what the heck is a sweet potato crown? All I can find on the internet is recipes for cooking not planting.
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08 Jan 23, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Crowns are the top sprouting part of a sweet potato. It should say slips too.
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Showing 21 - 30 of 315 comments
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It's best to use dried out cow manure, which has been broken up into a almost powdered state and dug into the soil below where you are going to put the sprouts, before planting. You can do this by putting the cow pads into a cement mixer with a few old 1/2 bricks and tumbled for 1/2 hr or so, or just using a shovel on a hard surface. Concrete path etc. Just bust them and pulverise as best you can. Don't use fresh manure under any circumstance. Horse manure is pretty useless and has too much acid, while chook manure is best just laid on top of soil around the plants after a good showing of leaf from the runners. Best to use something like Organic Life or Dynamic Lifter, chook manure that has been treated. So every time you water, the nutrients will just seep into the soil at an even rate. A small sprinkling of garden lime dug in with the cow manure is a good idea too. If you ever come across the original white sweet potato, plant them too. Much better texture and taste, than the purple. Anyway....best of luck !

- Gerard Plant

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